Accuracy and precision are paramount concerns for minimally-invasive surgeries targeting small structures embedded in surrounding tissue. Stereotactic frames are used to locate physical targets identified on medical images or anatomical atlases, and have been in clinical use for over fifty years. However, they are not used in applications requiring sub-millimetric accuracy, including cochlear implant surgery. In these cases, rigid, non-adjustable frame systems attached directly to the bone are favored, in view of their superior accuracy. The major drawback of using existing microstereotactic frame is the time delay associated with its manufacturing. The only current commercially available option, the STarFix™ (FHC, Inc., Bowdoin, Me.) requires a delay of several days—in the middle of the surgical procedure—for off-site manufacturing.
Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.